Has your workers' compensation claim been denied in arizona

Has your Workers' Compensation Claim been denied in Arizona?

Once you notify your employer about your injury, your employer will send the claim to its insurance company for review. The insurance company can approve of or deny your workers’ compensation claim.

You can appeal, if your workers’ comp claim has been denied, with the help of specific appeal procedures under Arizona law. It is not mandatory to hire a workers compensation attorney in Phoenix AZ to file a workers’ compensation appeal but it is recommended that you do so, since your attorney understands law and has handled several such cases.

Hearing The appeal process begins with filing a ‘Request for Hearing’ with the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) within 90 days of the insurance company’s denial of benefits. The Commission will process your appeal and send you a written notice of the time, place, and date of your initial hearing.

A pre-hearing conference may be scheduled first, in some cases. Pre-hearing conferences can be held over the telephone. These are conducted to discuss the issues in dispute, witnesses and other procedures.

Before the hearing, you will also be involved in “discovery” with your employer’s insurer. “Discovery” is a formal process where you exchange information and evidence with the insurance company.

The initial hearing is usually held 90 days after your case is referred to a judge. You will give your testimony at the initial hearing, the testimony of any witnesses of your injury and any other non-expert witnesses. Expert witness testimony (such as that of a doctor) is given at additional hearings. It can take several months to complete the hearing process. Once the hearing process is complete, the judge issues a written decision and mails it to the concerned parties.

You need complete understanding of the appeals process and Arizona workers’ compensation law to present your case successfully in front of the judge. This can include knowledge of the forms to be filed, developing medical and other evidence and present the case itself. That is why it is in your best interests to hire an experienced Phoenix workers comp attorney, such as those at Arizona Injury Law Group, who can help you with the entire process.

Appeal If you do not agree with the judge’s decision, you can ask to the judge to reconsider by filing a ‘Request for Review’ within 30 days of the decision. A copy of the request should also be sent to the insurance company.

Once the request has been filed, the judge will reconsider the evidence in your case. The judge will then issue a decision to either confirm or change the initial decision.

If your workers’ compensation claim has been denied, contact an experienced workers compensation attorney in Phoenix AZ as soon as possible. An attorney will represent the insurance company and that can leave you at a disadvantage.

To schedule a free, no obligation consultation with an AZ workers comp lawyer, call Arizona Injury Law Group at 602-346-9009.